Conventional bowls provide an efficient and convenient basin for holdings solids and liquids. Bowls are formed in a variety of shapes and sizes, but most frequently have a mouth opening, and rounded sides that narrow toward the bottom. The bottom is formed to allow the bowl to remain upright on a surface, and is usually flat or semi-flat.
Bowls are often utilized for serving food, including liquid-based food items, such as soup. However, bowls are often frequently employed for a variety of other uses, such as for display purposes, containers or basins (to hold a variety of articles) or other suitable purposes.
The bowl is a versatile article, and can be manufactured from almost any material, such as ceramic, glass, metal, plastic, or wood.
Although bowls are convenient and simple to use, their open-mouthed nature and lack of a built-in cover reduce the practical or desirable nature of the bowl for some purposes. In particular, when used to hold dangerous materials, such as chemicals, or hot foods, such as soup, the bowl must be transported with great care and effort, as there is an absence of a feature to prevent substances from falling over in the event the bowl is tipped.
In some instances, the bowl may be utilized as a washing bowl or basin. The bowl can thus be used to carry potable or fresh water, or may receive dirty or contaminated water. In an example, the bowl may be used to transport fresh water for cooking in a kitchen, while in another example, the bowl may include water that has been used to wash precious metals in a lab to remove contaminants, and thus may contain contaminated water.
The use of a bowl as a washing bowl or basin for holding water or liquids therefore provides for a mechanism for transporting water when away from a constant or manufactured source of flowing water. The water bowls can either contain an amount of water therein for the direct washing of the hands or can receive water poured from a container.
In another instance, the bowl may be used for ritual washing of hands or feet with clean water. Such washings often occur away from flowing sources of water. These bowls provide convenience by being highly portable, thereby allowing for use by multiple individuals.
Although such hand washing bowls and basins provide convenience by allowing for the transportation of the bowl for use by several individuals, these bowls, when filled to their expected capacity, are prone to spill when transported. That is, the benefit of a bowl as a transportable medium for carrying water is negated by its tendency to spill over, causing a spill that requires cleanup and resulting in a bowl that cannot carry the entirety of its contents.
Past efforts to contain spills from bowls include spill-proof containers having a nested construction, with bowl having an interior portion nested within an exterior larger bowl with bigger sidewalls, allowing for water to overflow from a first portion into a second portion of the bowl. These bowl/basin-types, however, fail to provide a direct communication between the first and second portions of the containers, and in the event of unforeseen movements, the water can exit over the container and spill onto a ground surface.
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide a bowl that reduces or eliminates the risk of spill, as well as associated damage and injury, that results from transporting or moving a bowl that is filled or partially filled.
It would be further desirable to provide the aforementioned benefits by providing a chamber within the bowl itself, eliminating the need for a cover and reducing the risk of spills.